CAIRO: The cost of lighting alone can make out about 20-25% of your electricity bill. Therefore it is of crucial importance to choose the right light bulbs to give you the best bang for your buck. Energy Star – a program between the U.S. Environmental Protection agency and the U.S. Department of Energy – deemed Compact Fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) 75% more efficient than incandescent light bulbs, meaning they could last about 10 times longer. Many of us have seen the incandescent light bulbs face a competition during the last couple of years from the CFLs. A good quality CFL can run for 6,000-10,000 hours compared to the meager 750 hours the incandescent ones are estimated to run for. A lot of us started the switch and found excellent results on the reduced electricity bill, all the while getting comforted that we are also being more environmentally friendly in our energy consumption and lifestyle. CFLs might cost a lot upfront (brands range from 16-30 LE for your most commonly used bulb), but the return on investment is clear from the numbers mentioned above and worth trying. When they first started, the coiled energy efficient light bulbs weren’t very appealing. Nowadays, attractive, retro lamps and bulbs are available for the trendy eco-friendly buyer. The new ones have better controls and smarter lightning, so you’ll be saving even more money and megawatts! CFLs come in different shapes and sizes; you probably saw the spiral ones, the candle bra-style ones and CFLs that you can dim. CFLs contain a tiny amount of the heavy metal Mercury (about 2.5- 4 milligrams) compared to the older thermometers that contained about 500mg and dental fillings that can contain anything between 100-500 mg! The Mercury is important for the efficiency of the CFLs and in no way will it be released while the bulb is intact. If you’ve broken a CFL, the mercury will be dispatched to the to air and surfaces on which it broke. However, we’ve compiled an easy to follow guide for you on how to deal with such an accident. Using CFLs instead of the incandescent bulbs will significantly reduce the amount of greenhouse gases, mercury and other toxic emissions forced into the environment from electricity generation. Additionally, they will help you save on your electricity bill which produces better results for both your pocket and the environment. So the only question remaining is ‘what are you waiting for’? CFLs are stylish and are of greater substance. A better choice for you, your home and your planet. So go ahead and make the smart switch! Ecooptionsegypt.com
